Doug Webb (mastodon.xyz)One of the core ‘demands’ of #ExtinctionRebellion is to set up a #CitizensAssembly. This is not a new concept: #sortition has been around since Athens.
I find a lot of people worried about trusting ‘normal people’ to make big decisions. I would love to have a CA as one of the major political bodies….
I am all for the idea of more direct civic participation in society and the removal of an elite governing class. I can see why not having ‘expert’ knowledge would be a thorny issue tho. I wouldn’t see it as not trusting normal people, just a recognition that a lot of issues require in-depth knowledge. I presently wouldn’t trust myself to make a suitably informed decision on many complex issues outside my area of knowledge.
That said, it works for juries, and if there was a strong civil service and adequate time for researching important decisions, I’m sure it could work.
I don’t know much about the details of sortition – would love to hear more of your views.